Toy aeroplane



A. DESPANG TOY AEROPLARE Filed Sept. 23, 1921.

L HIHIHIlllll Patented Mar. 25, 1224.

iaaaeza entree stares eater t rse.

ALFRED DESPANG, 0F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

TOY anaozenans.

A pplication flled September 23, 1921. Serial No. 502,803.

' T 0 all whom it may concem:

Be it known that ALFRED DESI'ANG, citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, has invented certain new and useful Improvements in Toy Aeroplanes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to games and toys and more particularly to toy aeroplanes, the construct-ion of which is such that it may be put together or taken apart without pins, nuts or other fastenings. tlCCOIIlPllShQd within one minute.

The principal object of the invention is to so design and construct the parts, that each and every part will be heldsecure in place without any extra agency whatsoever.

Another object. of the invention is to provide the several self sustaining parts, also that the several parts may be assembled, or vice versa. by anyone within a few seconds, so that they may be shipped.

Still another object is to provide aminiature aeroplane with all the necessary requisites for flying; first is the propeller, next the designs of the wings, stabilizing fins and rudder, all of which are designed to cause the aeroplane to fly for quite a distance, being adapted to raise, itself from the ground for a distance of 10 feet and after traveling a predetermined distance, to swoop down in a graceful curve until the wheels of the chassis touches, when the plane glides to a standstill.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, further objects and advantages will appear as the description of the invention is hereinafter developed. Referring to the drawings, herein is shownwhat is now considered to be, the preferred form of my invention: I

Figure 1 is a top plan view of my toy aeroplane, with a part of the wing omitted;

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail of parts in section, showing the manner of securing the propeller to the body or main frame, also showing the main wing sprung in position and the chassis securely locked thereto;-

Figure 3 is the. rear end of the main frame showing the cut-outs for the fixed tail surface and rudder, also showing the tail skid in position;

Figure 4 is a top lan view of Figure 3, showing the lock wliereby the stabilizing fins and rudder maybe readily and securely locked in position;

All of this is" Figure 5 is a view of the front end lock of the stabilizing tail surface fins.

Figure 6 is a View of the vertical tail fin and rudder, showing the front and rear locking means;

Figure 7 is a view from the under side of the chassis carriage, showing the positive positioning and locking means of the same, an

Figure 8 is a detail of the landing wheels carried by the chassis.

h lgig. 9 is a detail view of the propeller In the construction of a toy aeroplane, it is essential to have one that will not only lift itself from the ground, but will fly a predetermined distance, and when it comes down, to land so that it will not wreck itself, To this end, each and every part of the toy,

as has been noted, may be sodesigned, as to I be readily assembled and locke in position for flying, after which it may be dismenibered and packed so as to be accessible depending part 14, which may carry the bearing for the shaft 15 of the propeller 16.

To the rear of the propeller bracket is located an inclined cut-out 17 terminating in slots 18 and 19, into which the wing 20 may be sprung and held secure. The edge of the wing 21 and 22 may be out out and serve to hold the front part of the wing in proper position on the frame, while the rear of the wing is provided with a like cut out, the sides 23 and 24 of which extend on each side of the main frame, so as to positively hold the wings in proper position. The curve 25 that is given the wings at this point is just sutiicient to give the plane the proper lifting and gliding surface, which as it extends on either side of the main frame, is gradually flattened to the level of the Wings at the end.

As the wings will be made of celluloid, it is of the greatest importance that they have the required stiffness for the-purpose, without causing the plane to be too heavy,

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' after parts of the sta To this end, it may be desirable to provide a reinforcement, and such reinforcement is shown as a rib 26 and 27, on each side of the wing extending within a short distance of the outer end, and stopping close to the oint of attachment to the main frame 9.

y thus providing the wing with such reinforcement, the extra strength is provided to the wing, without any additional Weight being added thereto, yet the wing is allowed to assume its proper lifting angle, and the outstretched parts give the plane in its course of flight, the necessary spread for gliding it through the air.

To the rear may be an inclined slot 28, into which the front end 29 of the stabilizing fins 30 and 31 may fit, while intersecting said slot is a zigzag slot lock 32. At the extreme end of the main frame, a vertical slot 33 is provided. As will be noted, the cut-out end 29 has side walls 34 and 35, also with a slot 36, which intersects the cut-out, so that when the stabilizing tail pins are applied tothe mainframe, the .cut-out will fit into the slot 28 and the projections 34 and 35 will extend beyond for a suitable distance, so as to hold the same securely in place.

The vertical tail 'fin and rudder piece 36, may be provided at its forward end, with a downwardly locking projection 37, and with a cut-out 38 at its rear, which fits between the bevels 39 and 40 of the said elevators, also within the slot 33 of the main frame, while the under lapping finger portion 41 will-hold the two pieces in place. By reason of the slot 32 being zigzag, it causes the end 37 to form such curvature and by this characteristic, a perfectly secure lock is provided for these two parts, which will stand a great amount of rough usage and yet remain intact. By this means it will be noted, that these two all important parts of.

the aeroplane are not only assembled, but are locked securely in position by this simple friction zi zag lock.

As will e noted, the stabilizing fins may have any reinforcing rib that will strengthen and cause them to retain their proper position, but I prefer, as in the wings, to score them as shown at 42 and 43, not only for strengthening means, but forthe additional purpose of afl'ordin a slight hin e to the iilizing fins. Tty pressing the parts 44' and 45 downwardly or upwardly, the plane may be forced to travel a in that particular direction, the scoring thus described permitting slight deflection in either direction. So also the tail fin 36, in like manner may be scored, or reinforced, or hinged, or otherwise as at 46, so that the end 47 may be turned to the right or left to cause the lane to travel in a circular direction. As as been noted, by the scoring or ribbin of these arts, they may be made to per orm a doub e function, that of gliding mamas and guiding the plane on a desired or predetermined course.

Having now described the essentials of the upper part of the operating parts of my toy plane, I will now proceed to describe the other or under parts, the principal of which .is the ropeller and its driving means and the c assis. now take up for consideration. Toward the forward end of the main frame 9 on the underside, may be a cut-out 48, provided with a button 49, and having an undercut 50 at its rear end. The chassis is of one unit and consists of a frame 51, bent so as to form a flat 52, with two legs 53 and 54. The legs have reinforced or scored ribs 55, so as to strengthen them and hold them in sha e, while to the lower ends are secured rub er tired wheels 56. In construction,

they are built as follows; two plates 57 and 58- are held securely together by an eyelet 59, which may be turned over on either end, so as to hold the two shaped discs together, their outer edges forming a space for holding secure a rubber tire 60. A shaft 61 passing through the two wheels, and the two legs of the chassis, is simply headed on each end, thus, there is no chance .of there being a bind anywhere, and with the further result that these parts are all thus secured together, forming a' complete unit without any additional securing means. The topflat plate 52 of the chassis may also be provided with a cutout 61 which fits into and is held in slot 50.; The projections 62 and 63 hold the same secure from movement at this point, while located a short distance away, is an eyelet buttonhole, into which. the button 49 passes and is held, thus it will be seen that the chassis when applied to the main frame of the aeroplane, is held in position very securel To the rear 0 the main frame is located permanentl the tail skid 64, which also acts as the attacliment for the propelling or driving means. The pro eller 16 is provided with an eyelet throug 1 its center, and into which the shaft 15 extends. The outer end of said eyelet and shaft are firmly pressed or flattened together, so as to form a permanent lock and when driven back in place, the flattened parts of said eyelet and shaft become embedded in the propeller, which forms a permanent lock between the propeller and-shaft. To the free end of the shaft is provided a hook, to which may be at tarfiied the power means to drive the prope er.

The power means for the aeroplane consists of several strands of rubber 65, of a The latter, we willdetermined length, secured at either end to mamas of revolutions, the rubber bands become twisted to such an extent that when the propeller is released, it will cause the aeroplane to raise to a predetermined elevation, and travel for a suitable distance in either astraight, or curved course, after which it will descend to the ground in a prolonged glide. The wheels touching the smooth surface will permit the momentum of the plane to carry it along until it stops in its natural position.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I have "herein described the "principle of my invention which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof, but I desire to have it understood that the various parts are only illustrative and that the invention can be carried out in other ways than those described, but all are intended to come within the scope of the claims. Also while the design of the plane at present is preferred, it may be changed or altered to meet any particular requirements, without interfering in any Way with the generil results for which aeroplane was designe Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a toy aero-plane, the combination of a unitary central body member provided with a bifurcated head and with a plurality of slits and cut outs therein for attaching and holding secure in operative position all co-acting parts without separate locking means, of reinforced wing and tail pieces, with a bracket carried by saidbifurcated head and carrying a propeller, and means for driving the propeller. I

2. In a toy acre-plane, the combination of a unitary central body portion provided with a bifurcated head, angular slits in the body portion to receive and hold the wing, the latter being provided with locking means, additional slits in the body to receive the vertical and horizontal stabilizing fins, the former provided with means for securely holding them in place, of a propeller carried by a bracket removably secured to the bifurcated end of the body member, a skid secured to the latter, and driving means secured to and between the skid and propeller.

3. In a toy aero-plane comprising a uni tary central body member having a bifurcated head, suitable shaped cavities for the wings to fit and be held therein, of a slit pointing to the rear of said body member to receive and hold the stabilizin fins, of an-.

other slit in the end of said bo y member to receive the rear end of the rudder fin, said fin provided at its forward and rearward ends with a locking means, said body member provided with a zigzag slot to receive and hold the forward locking means, of a tail skid located between said end and said vlocking means, of means for locking a chassis to the underside of said body member, of a propeller mounted on a shaft carried by a bracket and means stretched between the propeller shaft and the tail skid to cause the propeller to revolve.

4. In a toy aero-plane comprising a uni tary central body adapted to receive and hold secured in operative position the wing and horizontal and vertical stabilizers without other agencies, of wings provided with reinforcements along the edges, of stabilizing fins provided with reinforcements which permit of their extreme end being deflected without disturbing their main body portions, of a propeller also a tail skid carried by the main frame, and, driving means suspended between each.

5. The combination of the main wing spread having reinforced ribs on each side thereof, extending in a line of the length of the wing, of cut outs on each side to register with recesses in the main frame, and having locking projections on each side of said cut outs extending in the direction of the same, of a main frame and stabilizing fins provided with rudder, said stabilizing fins each having reinforcements which adapt portions of them to be deflected from their respective main bod parts, of a chassis adaptmember, a rear horizontal slot and cut out part to receive and hold the horizontal stabilizer in its proper position, other slots to" receive the vertical stabilizer member one being a friction zigzag slot lock, a tail skid, of a forward cut away portion on the underside to receive the chassis, of a propeller, and means for driving the same,

7 The combination of a stick of rectangu-i lar cross section forming the mainframe of the aeroplane adapted to receive and hold the wing and fins removably secured thereon,

said wing having cut outs centrally located on its front and rear the width of the rectangular body frame, said wing adapted to be sprung into operative position on the top of said frame, positioning and lateral looking means on said wing, and a reenforcing rib extending longitudinally and adjacent each edge from tip to a short distance of the center.

8. In a toy aero-plane comprising a unitary central body with means for securing thereto the wings and various fins without other agencies, of a tailskid, a bracket secured to the main framecarrying a propeller shaft on one end of which is secured a propeller held together at their center by an intermediate section, and a rubber tire housed about theouter periphery thereof.

9. The combination of the rectangular frame provided with a plurality of cut outs and slots disposed at various angles to receive and hold the wing and stabilizers there- "in, the horizontal stabilizer provided with looking cars at its forward end its rear end provided with a V shaped slot, said slot registering with a rear frame slot in the main frame, of a vertical stabilizer having a rear portion that fits into said V and rear slot provided with a finger or extension interlocking with the rear end of the main frame, a friction slot engaging look at its forward end that securely holds both stabilizers in their respective positions, of a tail skid, and a landing chassis, of a propeller and means for driving the same.

10. The combination of a main frame provided with cut outs and slits for operatively holding secure the Wing and stabilizing members thereto, of a tail skid secured to the rear of the main frame,.of a chassis comprising a body portion provided with two depending legs, said legs having a reinforced rib, a. shaft carried by said legs on the outer ends of which is carried launching wheels, said wheels comprising disks struck up so as to form a cavity for a resilient tire, of a central hub adapted to hold both disks to retain the wheels, of a cut out in the body portion that looks into a slot in the main frame, of a buttonhole.slot to receive the head of a screw, said out out and button-hole slot extending in the opposite direction from the pressure on the landing wheels, of a propeller suitably mounted forward of the chassis, and driving means located between said skid and said propeller.

11. In a knock down toy aero-plane, the combination with a main frame comprising a wooden stick of rectangular cross section provided with notches, slots and cut outs to receive and hold secure in operative position the various parts constituting units of.the aero-plane, said unit members having coacting indentations and projections, each unit adapted to be assembled in position on said main frame for flight without separate looking agencies, and adapted to be knocked I down for packing and transportation.

12. In a knock down toy aeroplane comprising a central rectangular body frame provided with a tail skid and means for locking the wings and stabilizers operatively thereto, elevators and rudder carried by said stabilizers, of a chassis and propeller suitably carried by said main frame, said elevators integral with the horizontal stabilizer and said rudder integral with the. vertical stabilizer, each of the several individual parts forming a unit adapted to be secured directly to t e main frame without other agencies, and power means for driving the propeller. I 1

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

ALFRED DESPANG. 

